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If there is one thing entirely obvious about BY THE BEAT, it would be Kaelix Debonair. Every once in a while, he would say the wildest things and then the next you find him all wet and soppy like a puppy forgotten by their owner.
It was a slow night at the live house and Zeal had decided to close up relatively early (if 3 am counts as one). He had called in Kaelix and told the guy to not let anyone in. Just wait for the other guests to exit on their own.
With a groan, Kaelix removed his coat and slumped on the nearest seat. In his peripheral vision, a cocktail slides to his side.
"Come on, buddy. It's on the house."
How dare Zeal say this is free. He thought with a sarcastic tone. Zeal never charges for anyone who works in the live house. That is just silly. Never change Zeal. Never change.
One sip. Two. Three. A satisfied hum. He now declares that this is his favorite drink.
"I didn't add any orange peels to that. I know you're allergic."
"Aw shucks thank you, Zeal."
Zeal is such a great friend. He has to gift the guy something someday. Kaelix exhales for the nth time today and stretches his limbs like a cat.
"Y'know, the mic is pretty lonely today." Zeal starts. To this, Kaelix pauses mid-stretch and opts to freeze and listen to what this slithery man has to say. "And... Freo is-" he nods to the small man by the stage, headphones on, oblivious to the world. Alone.
A light bulb flashes in Kaelix's mind. He reaaally needs to give Zeal a gift some time soon.
"Hey, do you think I can sing some slow songs?"
"Yeah I don't see a problem." Zeal slides another Adonis to Kaelix and sends a wink down his way, "Come on you deserve some time with him, lover boy."
"EHAKEAHEGAH" Kaelix practically jumps on his seat and gives Zeal the tightest hug, wears his coat again and carefully picks up the fresh mix. "I swear you are one of the sweetest men alive. I love you so so much, Zeal. I hope you know that from the bottom of my heart."
"Thanks. I love you too, Kaelix." Zeal waves him off and starts to wipe the counter. He enjoyed the low beats of the music and started to bob his head along the rhythm.
"Gin-chan, are you having fun?"
Zeal basically jumps at the sudden voice. "......." A deadpan before picking up the towel on the floor.
"Seible."
"Gin-chan."
A laugh, "I am, indeed, having fun. It's like I'm watching my hypothetical son." To this, Zeal gestures Seible to adjust the lights to a dimmer, more intimate, one.
Seible follows Zeal's line of sight and just gets why Zeal is enjoying this.
.
.
.
Kaelix places the Adonis mix on Freo's left side and taps the shoulder on his right, "Hey there, guapo."
Startled, Freo yanks his headphones off and stares at Kaelix. "....."
An airy giggle, "You seemed lonely."
A small smile, "I guess you could say that." And then Freo proceeds to adjust the volume of the sounds then finally faces Kaelix, "It's rare seeing you anywhere near here, Mr. Debonair."
"I am here to show you a magic trick." Kaelix winks and says incoherent words. At the last syllable, he pops his hand like he manifested something from nothing, "Now look behind you."
Lo and behold, the mix Zeal had made.
Freo laughs and daintily holds the glass by the neck, "Silly. Silly, silly man." He looks at his reflection at the drink and takes a small sip.
When he looks up to see Kaelix watching him with such endearment, he opts to look down and his smile turns into a bashful pout. "... You didn't really have to stare at me like that........"
"But I love seeing you.... And being with you.... And honestly getting to hold you... And well... Everything." Unabashed, Kaelix proclaims.
It was like the most natural fact of the world that Freo couldn't even bear looking at Kaelix without blushing too hard.
"Is the stage free?" Kaelix starts.
Freo tilts his head slightly to the side and a question mark pops on top of his head.
"Maestro, ocho, cinco, seis, seis por pabor." And he finishes it with a wink.
Freo huffs in endearment and just shakes his head, exasperated, "This is a live house. Not a karaoke bar."
"Come ooonnnnn, it's not like we'll be getting more people in. I mean look!" Kaelix gestures to the crowd minding their own businesses and just idly mingling with one another, "What's a little bit of entertainment for the crowd?"
(It's a lie. It's all a lie. Kaelix is doing this for him. He is a selfish man.)
Freo though was amused so he let the taller man do whatever he wanted. "Okay but you have to tell me the actual song name. I don't have all karaoke numbers memorized... And we don't have karaoke numbers."
"Silly silly" Kaelix then tells him the title.
The saxophones and trumpets start to play. Kaelix saunters to the stage and like a snap of a finger, all eyes were on him. He holds the stand in place with his right hand and the mic with his left. A deep inhale.
When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more
Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance, you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me
Thank god Freo actually had to wear the headphones again because if not, Kaelix will see how red his ears had become. From his peripheral vision, he managed to catch Zeal and Seible holding out their damn phones.
And they were aimed at him!!!! What is this treachery?
Did Zeal put higher alcohol content in this drink? Why the heck does he feel so hot all of a sudden.
Ah damn it all. Freo still takes tiny sips of this concoction and he positively wants to hide. Preferably in a burrito blanket. Was Kaelix always this bright on stage?
(Definitely yes. He knows that first hand.)
Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway, I go weak
At the last word, Kaelix locks eyes with Freo and throws him a flying kiss.
To this, Freo absolutely combusts and covers his face with his free hand. His eyes once again land on the duo by the counter. Naughty people are still recording him!!!!!
I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
This song is too targeted. Freo wants to roll into a ball. His face is going to combust anytime soon.
Kaelix starts taking the mic from the stand and moves down the stage and slowly walks to Freo.
Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me
Freo, in turn, freezes on the spot. He can't exactly leave his station until the song finishes.
(He can but he feels too much like a cornered hedgehog.)
Kaelix casually waves at the other guests who catch his gaze. He rarely performs because he's the bouncer so might as well use this opportunity to feel like a guest artist. A few customers have their phones out so he points at one and sings,
When marimbas start to play
Hold me close, make me sway
On a particular phone camera (Zeal's), Kaelix smirks, and much exaggeration of fluid hand gestures and extends an arm to the bartender's area.
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more
Then he turns back to Freo, full attention and much gusto, he belts on the last lines of the song.
Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance, you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me
He finishes by leaning forward and smiles at Freo. Conscious of the cameras, he lifts his coat and shields them from the general crowd and swoops down for a kiss.
"Hihi, did you like that?" Kaelix' face was blooming. His face could possibly look like it was hurting just based on seeing his bright smile.
Freo, still stunned (and possibly brain fried), could only dumbly nod. This was one of those rare occasions that he was at loss for words. And even rarer that Kaelix was the reason behind it.
Upon seeing the reaction Kaelix had elicited, he smiled wider and bumped his forehead to Freo's, "I love you so much I hope you know that."
"Silly, silly man." Finally returning to his senses, Freo pinched Kaelix's cheeks and stretched them out, "You're the only one I see!"
The coat that Kaelix was holding fell from his weak hand. Freo looks so pretty with a full smile and a blooming blush like that.
He's weak.
He is so so weak. It's not even funny.
(Yes it is. Zeal and Seible are having a great time watching him fall so ridiculously hard.)
"I love you so much, Furifuri. You have no idea how pathetic of a man I am to you...."
And to this, Freo weakens his light pinch on Kaelix's cheeks, "Wha...."
And to this, Kaelix swoops down for one more kiss.
Silly. Very silly men.
Extra
Seible: Hey Gin-chan, you think I can upload that one bit to our channel?
Zeal: Aw hell yeah you can.
Freo: What are you doing?
Zeal and Seible hide their phones, "Nothing...." Both dare to look away while being incredibly suspicious.
Kaelix: Hey guys, I've ushered out all the guests. We can start packing home now.... What did I miss?